RCD Mallorca overpower Sevilla with second half show from Vedat Muriqi | OneFootball

RCD Mallorca 4-1 Sevilla

After Levante and Real Oviedo picked up points again this weekend, RCD Mallorca will have been desperate to get back out of the relegation zone, against a Sevilla side that have been living in a constant state of confusion. Stapled to the middle of the table, they began the night four points off 8th place, and three from 18th.

The home side started off with more confidence and ambition, with the lively Jan Virgili forcing an excellent save from Odysseas Vlachodimos early on. Vedat Muriqi also went close with a header, but the Kosovan forward cannot be restrained this season. It was Virgili who provided the opening, after he jinked outside Jose Angel Carmona on the left side of the box, and was caught by the Sevilla defender. Muriqi sent Vlachodimos the wrong way to convert from 12 yards.

Los Nervionenses were by no means being dominated though, and were intent on making Mallorca sweat for every pass. On the stroke of half-time, Peque Fernandez nicked the ball from Omar Mascarell in midfield, and released debutant Neal Maupay down the right. From an angle just inside the box, the French forward ripped the ball into the far top corner in frightening fashion, levelling things before Jagoba Arrasate had time to lament the loss of the ball.

Mallorca: Faster, smarter, stronger

Muriqi celebrates his goal. Image via Cadena Cope.

The second half started with Mallorca clearly on top though, and Vlachodimos forced into emergency action to push away a Muriqi header. Arrasate’s side had begun to win the ball in the Sevilla half with increasing frequency, and it was from there that their second came. Samu Costa won the ball back, and immediately looked for Muriqi. He in turn slipped the ball to the by-line on the left, where Virgili dropped his shoulder twice to move past two Sevilla defenders. Still, Virgili didn’t quite have the angle, and his shot was blocked – only for Costa to exploit Gabriel Suazo’s blind spot at the back post, and tap the bouncing ball home.

That came 10 minutes into the second period, and Sevilla responded again, with a series of shots blocked from close range, and Pablo Maffeo just getting the ball out at the back post, almost on his goal-line. Mtatias Almeyda’s side never really found a consistent rhythm though, and their danger came in fits and bursts, while Mallorca’s looked the consequence of Arrasate’s plan. With 15 minutes remaining, Johan Mojica released Costa in behind the offside trap again, where he cleverly timed his pass to Muriqi on the penalty spot. His effort was strong enough to beat the hand of Vlachodimos this time.

Only in the closing stages did Sevilla begin to play in the Mallorca half, but it felt all too futile. Rather than making it closer, Mateo Joseph slipped Pablo Torre into the box on the break for a fourth in stoppage time, squeezing it under Vlachodimos. It was the first time Mallorca had scored four times in La Liga in nearly three years.

Almeyda, on his haunches, looked pensive throughout as he watched Mallorca draw level on 24 points, now just two from Rayo Vallecano in the relegation zone. Arrasate has been frustrated by his side’s inability to shut down the opposition, with their last clean sheet coming eight games ago, but with Muriqi and Virgili in their current form, Mallorca still have hope of winning games. The Kosovan continues to prove almost unstoppable, netting his 16th goal of the season, second only to Kylian Mbappe.